Western Province lock Andries Bekker must prove on Saturday that he truly belongs with the best locks in the world if the Blue Bulls are to be stopped from reaching their second consecutive ABSA Currie Cup final.

The Western Province Springbok, although contributing hugely in general play, looked well short of his best in the lineouts in the last two WP matches against the Lions and the Boland Cavaliers. They were Bekker’s first full matches in a while following a long injury layoff which preceded the Springbok international season.

But if the Bulls think that Bekker’s average showing in the lineouts in those games was a reason for optimism, they could be in for a surprise. While WP coach Allister Coetzee stopped short of describing the system used by WP in the last two games as a ruse, he left little to the imagination when asked about it this week.

“Let’s just say that there were reasons for that and it is related to Saturday’s game but I don’t want to talk about it,” said Coetzee.

It is understood though that the system used by WP against the Lions and the Cavaliers will not be the system used against the Bulls. Which means that Matfield, who has played with Bekker and been coached by Coetzee, won’t be able to do his usual meticulous study. Or he will, but it is unclear of what he will be getting out of it.

While last week’s emphasis for Province was to finish top of the log which would have seen them avoid the Bulls in the semifinal round, they have been resigned to having to play the Bulls in the playoffs for several weeks. And their planning, particularly the work done on combating Matfield, did not just start this week.

“To get the better of Victor Matfield in the lineouts is something that requires a lot of planning and hard work, it is not something that you just work out in the week of the game. Myself, Rassie, Andries and Anton van Zyl have already been meeting to discuss the Matfield threat and devise ways to combat it,” said WP forwards coach Matthew Proudfoot.

When he said that, it was before the Boland game — in other words two weeks ago. So WP have been building towards the Bulls lineout threat for a while, and if you read what Matfield has to say about Bekker in the most recent issue of SA Rugby Magazine, it is a threat that the world’s finest lock will probably be taking seriously.

“Andries Bekker is right up there (among the best young locks in the world). If he can stay fit he will develop into one of the best in the world,” said Matfield, before then going on to say that Bekker was also his toughest opponent.

“Again, Andries is a real handful to deal with when he is on top of his game. His anticipation and spatial awareness is so good and that makes it difficult for me to be as dominant as I would like.”

But dominant is what Matfield tends to be against most opponents, and it is something the Bulls will be looking for against a WP team that poses a potential threat in the set-scrums and which developed the most effective rolling maul in the competition during the under-strength phase.

The Bulls have a feared kicking game, and they will probably be using it in a quest to ensure there are more lineouts and fewer scrums in the Newlands match. Matfield has terrorised many an opponent this year, and if he does it to WP, then their chances of an upset will quickly dissipate.

If however they can contain Matfield, it could be that half their battle will be won as it could mean WP will have found a way to blunt the Bulls’ all-important momentum.

Bekker has said in recent interviews that he has learned a lot from Matfield, and Saturday is his chance to show just how much.

Source + Pic:  supersport.co.za

Tags: andries bekker, blue bulls, western province